Efficiency of Mass Selection and Selfing with Selection Breeding Methods on Improving Some Important Characters of Three Eggplant Cultivars

American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 2 (3): 342-35, 202 ISSN 88-6769 IDOSI Publications, 202 Efficiency of Mass Selection and Selfing with Selection Breeding Methods on Improving Some Important Characters of Three Eggplant Cultivars T.H. Solieman, H.S. Abdel- Razzak A.R. El-Gazzar and M.M. Doss Department of Vegetable Crops Fac. of Agriculture, Alexandria Univ., Alex., Egypt Abstract: The current work aims to investigate the efficiency of two selection breeding methods; mass selection and selfing with selection, on improving some imperative characters of the local Egyptian eggplant (Balady) cultivars; Black Oval, Black Long and White Long. Estimation of heritability percentages in broad sense for the various characters of vegetative growth, fruits yield and its components as well as the phenotypic correlation coefficient estimates between all possible pairs among the various studied characters were also under consideration. In this respect, three field experiments were conducted during three consecutive summer seasons of 2005-2007, at the Experimental Station Farm, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. The estimated coefficients of variation (C.V.%) values for the vegetative growth characters; plant height, stem diameter, both numbers of branches and leaves plant ; and fruit characteristics; i.e., fruit- length, -diameter, -weight, number of fruits plant and total fruits yield plant in a relatively large population of each cultivar of eggplant exposed enough variability for the intentions of selection and improvement. Variability levels within the studied characters turned down as a result of practicing the two breeding methods, but with more severe reductions in the second selfed progenies, relative to the second cycle of mass selection populations. Heritability (%) in broad sense estimates were high for most characters; within the ranges of 73.5% to 97.9% in eggplant Black Oval, 35.20% to 94.96% in Black Long and from 53.24% to 94.74% in White Long cultivars, which suggested that selection in these characters, would be effective. The estimated values of the phenotypic correlation coefficients among the various possible pairs of the studied characters illustrated, generally, that only two out of 36 interrelationships in both Black Oval and White Long cultivars and 6 out of the 36 possible relationships in cultivar Black Long are appeared to be pronounced. The correlation between fruits number plant and fruits yield plant characters was found desirable for the target of selection in this study, particularly, for either Black or White Long eggplant cultivars. Key words:egg plant Balady cultivars Mass selection Individual plant selection Variability Heritability in broad sense Correlation coefficient INTRODUCTION serpentinum), which vary in most of their vegetative growth and fruit quality characters [3, 4]. Although, these Eggplant or brinjal (Solanum melongena L., 2n = 24) cultivars are generally characterized with enormous is an agronomically important solanaceous crop grown amounts of variabilities as well as no resonance breeding primarily for its fleshy tender fruits. It is grown in both programs for the purification of these cultivars were subtropics and tropics areas, native to India and conducted for a long time. Moreover, the grower's seeds China []. Egypt is the third country of eggplant are not often produced by seeds production specialists. production. Since, the greatest eggplant producers are Therefore, a remarkable deterioration and a lot of China (7 million tons year ), India (8 million tons), problems, concerning fruits quality and quantity Egypt ( million tons) and Turkey (0.9 million ton) [2]. characters; i.e., variable maturity, erratic shapes, various The most widely produced eggplant cultivars in sizes, discolor and less productivity became obvious. Egypt, are known to be different commercial local (Balady) Accordingly, it is crucial to exploit effective breeding types; Black Oval (Solanum melongena var. esculentum) programs for eggplant improvement depending on and both Black and White Long (S. melongena var. selection assessments. Corresponding Author: H.S. Abdel-Razzak, Department of Vegetable Crops Fac. of Agriculture, Alexandria Univ., Alex., Egypt. 342

Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 2 (3): 342-35, 202 Mass selection method depends on selection of in the nursery on April and the seedlings were superior plants from a population. Only superior plants, transplanted on June, 2005. The experimental area for each which have desirable characters, for the basis of their cultivar consisted of 60 rows, 4 m long and 0.7 m wide, phenotypic performances are chosen and bulked together with 0.35 m between plants within rows. All other to grow the following generation. The purpose of this agricultural practices; like fertilization, irrigation and plant breeding method is to obtain a high frequency of protection against weeds, diseases and insects; were superior genotypes within the population [5]. Selfing achieved. with selection of individual plants method increases the effectiveness of the practiced selection Development of the First Mass Selection Cycle and the and the amount of genetic improvement achieved in First Individual Plant Selection: The two breeding a breeding program by increasing the frequency of methods; mass selection and selfing with selection; the desirable alleles [6]. Some investigators, Ragheb, [7]; started with commercial populations consisting of about Pirinc and Pakyurek, [8]; Duman et al., [9] studied 800 plants from each of the three different used eggplant the effects of mass and individual plant selection genotypes. At the flowering stage, the best 28, 26 and 38 practices for improving various characters of solanaceous plants from the three original populations; Black Oval, vegetable crops. Black Long and White Long, respectively, were primarily Heritability is an index for calculating the relative selected on the basis of the general performance of their influence of environment on expression of genotypes [0]. visual vegetative growth traits. The selection criteria used Other studies, Ragheb, [7]; Abd-El-Hadi et al., []; in the primary selection were based on the following Kushwah and Bandhyopadhya, [2]; Singh and Kumar, desirable characters; long plant height, more number of [0] estimated numerous important characters of branches plant, more number of leaves plant and eggplant.they reported that the estimated percentages of thicker stem diameter. heritability in broad sense for most characters were high To produce the seeds of the first selfed progenies of values. Phenotypic correlation coefficient is an important the individually selected plants, some floral buds were appliance for the breeder to help in selecting a difficult selfed and bagged by paper bags till the assurance of measured character through the selection of another fruits setting. At the same time, the other floral buds were easier in measuring. In this respect, several studies left free for fruits setting and ripening to produce the first estimated the relationships among the different pairs of cycle of mass selection. the assorted characters of Egyptian eggplant [, 3, 4]. At fruits maturity, a second and more severe This work was undertaken with the aim of studying selection practice was conducted within the primary the efficiency of two selection breeding methods; mass- selected plants, according to the desirable fruit's and selfing with selection; on the improvement of some characteristics; i.e., more number of fruits plant, medium important characters of the three common local types of fruits weight and medium fruit length and diameter. eggplant. Heritability percentages in broad sense were Then, at the full matured fruits stage, the seeds of each estimated for the various characters of vegetative growth, selected plants, from each genotype; were separately fruits yield and its components. The phenotypic extracted, dried and stored to be used in the next correlation coefficients between all possible pairs among generation. According to the used selection criteria, the the different studied characters were also estimated. number of the finally selected progenies from each genotype came out to be 0 for both Black Oval and Black MATERIALS AND METHODS Long and 6 for White Long cultivar. The present study was performed in three successive summer seasons of 2005-2007, at the Experimental Station Farm, Alexandria University, Egypt. Data Recorded: The measurements of the various interested studied characters of eggplant plants were recorded as follows: 2005 Summer Season Vegetative Growth Characters: At the beginning of Growing of Original Populations and Variability flowering stage; the following vegetative growth traits Estimations: Seeds of the three diverse genetic were measured on the basis of individual plants such as populations of Balady cultivars of eggplant, namely Black plant height (cm), stem diameter (cm), number of branches Oval, Black Long and White Long were separately sown plant and number of leaves plant. 343

Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 2 (3): 342-35, 202 Fruits Yield and its Components: Samples of five random adopted. Means, ranges and coefficients of variation fruits, at the maturity stage, of each plant were harvested were calculated for all studied traits, as mentioned before. to determine the following fruit characteristics; length All recorded data of all evaluated populations of each (cm), diameter (cm) and weight (g). While, number of fruits genotype were also used to estimate the phenotypic plant and total fruits yield plant (g) were estimated on correlation coefficients among all possible pairs of the the basis of individual plants. All data of the various studied traits. studied traits were recorded to be used for calculating the statistical variability parameters; mean ( ), range (R) and Statistical Analyses: Data of all the aforementioned coefficient of variation (C.V.%). characters were arranged and statistically analyzed as elucidated by Al-Rawi and Khalf-Allah, [5], using 2006 Summer Season Co-State Software computer program [6]. The differences Seeds Production of the Second Cycle of Mass Selection among the various means were tested, using Duncan's and the Individual Plant Selection for the Second Selfed multiple range test (L.S.R) at 0.05 level of probability. Progenies: Seeds of the first cycle of mass selection and the seeds derived from the first selfed progenies (S s) of Estimations of Heritability Percentages in Broad Sense each eggplant genotype were separately sown in three 2 (H b.s. %) and Phenotypic Correlation Coefficients: experiments on April and their seedlings were 2 Heritability percentages in broad sense (H b.s. %) for the transplanted on June, 2006. Each experimental area studied traits and the phenotypic correlation coefficients consisted of 60 rows, 4.0 m long and 0.7 m wide and the among all possible pairs of the studied traits were plant spacing was 0.35m. Selection, in the same forgoing calculated according to Allard, [7] and Mather and Jinks, basis, was again practiced within- and between- the selfed [8], respectively. progenies of the selected plants of each genotype to maintain the most promising progenies for the next cycle RESULTS AND DISCUSSION of mass selection and selfing with selection. At the flowering stage, some of the developing floral buds were Data presented in Table showed the estimated selfed to produce the seeds of the second selfed values for the statistical parameters; means, ranges and progenies; whereas, all the other flowers were left to coefficients of variation (C.V. %) for all studied characters produce the seeds of the second cycle of mass selection. of the original populations of three eggplant genotypes; Then, the seeds of each selected selfed progenies were i.e., Black Oval, Black Long and White Long. Within the separately, extracted, dried and stored to be used in the original population of Black Oval genotype, the highest evaluating experiments. Likewise, to obtain the seeds of variability magnitudes were found to be those of the the second cycle of mass selection, the produced seeds characters fruit weight and total fruits yield plant, since from all selected plants were extracted, dried and bulked they showed the highest estimated C.V.% values of together. Numbers of the finally selected progenies, from 85.4% and 82.6%, respectively. The characters fruits the second selfed progenies of the selected plants of each number plant and both leaves and branches numbers genotype, came down to be only four for each of the three plant reflected also relatively high variability levels; used genotypes; Black Oval and both Black and White since their estimated C.V.% values were 65.98%, 54.47% Long. and 43.39%, in that order. On the contrary, the plant height showed the lowest value of variability (6.36%) of 2007 Summer Season all studied characters. Evaluation of the Derived Genetic Populations (C 2) and Concerning the Black Long genotype, the results in (S 2 s): Seeds of the original populations (O.P.), the Table showed that the highest variability magnitudes second mass selection cycle populations (C 2) and those were found in both characters number of leaves and of the four second selfed progenies of each genotype; branches plant, since their estimated C.V.% values Black Oval [S 2(BO-) to S 2(BO-4)], Black Long [S 2(BL-) to were found to be 75.94% and 66.49%, respectively. S 2(BL-4)] and White Long [S 2(WL-) to S 2(WL-4)]; were The characters fruit weight, number of fruits plant and separately sown in the nursery on April and the seedlings total fruits yield plant showed relatively moderate were separately transplanted on June, 2007. A randomized variabilities, with the estimated C.V.% values of 43.77%, complete blocks design, with three replicates was used. 40.73% and 34.8%, each in order. On the contrary, the Each plot consisted of four rows; 3.5 m long and 0.7 m three remaining characters; i.e., plant height, fruit length wide, with a spacing of 0.35 m between plants. All and diameter; reflected the lowest variability estimates; agricultural practices for the eggplants production were 22.67%, 2.85% and 7.56%, correspondingly. 344

Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 2 (3): 342-35, 202 Table : Means ( ), ranges and coefficients of variation (C.V.%) estimates of the studied characters in the original populations of the three commercial eggplant Balady cultivars; Black Oval, Black Long and White Long Genotypes --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balady Black Oval Balady Black Long Balady White Long ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- Characters Range C.V.% Range C.V.% Range C.V. % Plant height (cm) 78 45-08 6.36 72.99 32-7 22.67 67.33 35-23.6 Branches number plant 5.26.0-6.0 43.39 4.0-5.37 66.49 5.0-6.97 75.79 Leaves number plant 74.54 2-222 54.47 52.66 7-80 75.94 5.23 7-90 59.25 Fruit length (cm) 9.34 6.3-2.8 24.2 2. 9-7.3 2.85 0.9 7.3-6.3 40.5 Fruit diameter (cm) 8.35 5.2-9.6 26.95 2.63.8-3.6 7.56 2.67.9-4.9 58.4 Fruit weight (g) 93.08 0-25 85.4 42.9 36-49 43.77 4.57 30-56 56.66 Fruits number plant 0.24 2-Jun 65.98 25.04 2-29 40.73 27.48 2-33 82.03 Fruits yield plant (g) 997.6 80-292582.6 069.6 850-235 34.8 28.4 895-280 69.09 Regarding the White Long genotype, data in Table Effectiveness of Mass- and Selfing with Selection on the showed also that most of the studied characters Investigated Characters: The results of the comparisons reflected comparatively high variability levels. The among the different statistical parameters means, ranges highest estimated C.V.% value was that of the character and coefficients of variation of the vegetative growth number of fruits plant (82.03%), followed by those of characters; plant height, stem diameter, number of - number of branches plant (75.79%), total fruits yield branches plant and number of leaves plant ; for the six plant (69.09%), number of leaves plant (59.25%), fruit different evaluated populations for each of the three diameter (58.4%) and fruit weight (56.66%), respectively. eggplant cultivars; i.e., the original population (O.P.) of On the other hand, plant height character revealed the the considered eggplant cultivar with the derived lowest C.V.% value (23.6%). populations from the second cycle of mass selection (C 2) The aforementioned results indicated clearly that the and the four second selfed-progenies; whose numbers used original populations of the three eggplant genotypes were S 2(BO-) to S 2(BO-4) for Black Oval, S 2(BL-) to were characterized by high variability magnitudes for most S 2(BL-4) for Black Long and S 2(WL-) to S 2(WL-4) for of the studied characters. Such results, generally; White Long are presented in Table 2. The obtained results suggested the presence of good prospects for selection reflected, generally, high or relatively high improvement and improvement in the agronomic characters under (increases), with different magnitudes, in vegetative consideration, in each of the three studied populations, growth characters of the three eggplant cultivars, through which meant that good genotypes could be derived the tow practiced different breeding methods; viz. the through the two practiced selection methods. Such results second cycle of mass selection and the individual plant were generally in accordance with those obtained by selection for two generations, comparing with the original Ragheb, [7]; Sharma and Kishan [9]; Mohanty, [20]; populations. Nevertheless, the individual plant selection Singh and Kumar, [0], who found that the magnitudes of method, using selfing with selection for two generations, the phenotypic coefficients of variability in eggplant were showed more superior effect on improving all vegetative high for most of their studied characters. However, growth characters; plant height, stem diameter, number of Baha-Eldin, et al., [2, 22] found low variability values for branches plant and number of leaves plant, compared their studied characters in eggplant. The obtained results with the second cycle of mass selection method in the showed also that the detected ranges for the various three eggplant based on increasing means values or studied characters in the three original populations of reductions of coefficients of variation (C.V.%) values. eggplant were wide, which suggested clearly the high After the second cycle of mass selection, the vegetative potentialities for improving those characters. growth characters for the three eggplant genotypes were Accordingly, the presence of high variation levels, in the improved, since, the estimated increments, relatively to used original populations, for the studied characters, their original population, were noticed to be within the supported the high possibilities of conducting successful ranges of 2.4 to 7.02% for plant height, 4.08 to 86.67% and efficient selection aiming to introduce new for stem diameter, 8.58 to 74.76% for number of branches genotypes, with better performances than those of the plant and from 3.0 to 40.9% for number of leaves corresponding original populations. plant. Also, the individual plant selection method, 345

Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 2 (3): 342-35, 202 Table 2: Means (X), ranges and coefficients of variation (C.V.%) estimates for vegetative growth characters of the six evaluated populations of the eggplant Balady cultivars Black Oval, Black Long and White Long in 2007 summer season. Plant height (cm) Stem diameter (cm) Number of branches plant Number of leaves plant Plant characters ------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Parameters Populations X Range C.V.% X Range C.V.% X Range C.V.% X Range C.V.% Black Oval genotypes O.P. 82.0c 6-95 3.2.65c.3-2.2 2.2 2.33e.0-3.0 28.37 80.50d 50-3 3.02 C2 96.07b 82-07 6.7 3.08a 2.8-3.5 6.82 2.53de 2.0-3.0 20.6 2.85a 64-22 0.90 S2(BO-) 96.23b 87-6.66 2.90b 2.5-3.3 6.55 2.80c 2.0-4.0 22.86 0.50b 85-0 0.46 S2(BO-2) 0.57a 89-5 6.67 3.06a 2.8-3.4 5.56 3.33b 2.0-4.0 8.32 88.53c 67-98 8.9 S2(BO-3) 00.86a 88-09 5.62 2.87b 2.7-3. 4.8 2.63cd 2.0-4.0 23.57 99.8b 59-03 0.28 S2(BO-4) 97.40b 87-09 6.39 3.0a 2.7-3.4 6.77 3.97a 3.0-5.0 9.4 8.80d 62-94 8.42 Black Long genotypes O.P. 77.33c 62-92.4.94d.4-2.3 4.43 2.40d.0-4.0 40.42 75.27e 35-2 2.88 C2 79.37c 68-88 8.90 2.07c.7-2.6 9.66 2.70c 2.0-4.0 25.93 79.49d 40-26 9.29 S2(BL-) 88.83ab 69-97 7.00 2.25b 2.0-2.6 8.44 2.80c 2.0-4.0 2.79 80.54d 56-93 9.24 S2(BL-2) 89.80a 78-99 6.88 2.46a 2.2-2.7 7.72 3.3ab 2.0-4.0 2.73 86.49c 54-90 8.63 S2(BL-3) 87.3b 79-99 6.27 2.22b 2.0-2.5 6.76 3.0b 2.0-4.0 2.29 92.45b 59-97 8.53 S2(BL-4) 89.40a 78-99 6.63 2.26b 2.0-2.6 7.96 3.33a 2.0-4.0 2.32 97.93a 6-02 8.28 White Long genotypes O.P. 74.70d 65-86 8.99 2.45c.7-3. 5.5 2.0c.0-3.0 33.8 77.82c 59-09 4.7 C2 76.30cd 68-86 7.42 2.55bc.9-2.9 2.6 3.67b 2.0-5.0 23.02 80.23bc 63-6.48 S2(WL-) 83.77a 78-95 5.34 2.65b 2.4-3. 7.55 4.0a 3.0-5.0 8.54 8.55bc 68-9.38 S2(WL-2) 78.53bc 68-89 6.56 2.94a 2.6-3.3 6.80 3.80ab 3.0-5.0 20.03 86.23ab 66-2 0.86 S2(WL-3) 79.67b 72-89 6.70 2.94a 2.5-3.4 7.82 4.0a 3.0-5.0 8.54 92.7a 69-8.25 S2(WL-4) 83.83a 75-92 7.8 2.80a 2.4-3.4 9.64 3.97ab 3.0-5.0 8.4 85.42ab 60-05 9.6 O.P. = Original population. C2= Second cycle of mass selection. S2(BO-) S2(BO-4) = Progenies of the second selfed generation of four individual selections of Balady Black Oval cultivar. S2(BL-) S2(BL-4) = Progenies of the second selfed generation of four individual selections of Balady Black Long cultivar. S2(WL-) S2(WL-4) = Progenies of the second selfed generation of four individual selections of Balady White Long cultivar. Values having similar alphabetical letter (s) do not significantly differ, using Duncan's multiple range test (L.S.D) at 0.05 probability level. using selfing with selection for two generations, increased The detected great amounts of variability that the means (more improvements) of the studied characters appeared to be present in the original populations for the in all derived selfed progenies of the three used cultivars. vegetative growth characters, in addition to the estimated The estimated increments of the vegetative growth values of broad sense heritability with moderate, relatively characters of the second selfed progenies for the three high or high magnitudes, which were estimated in the cultivars were found to be in the ranges from 5.3 to current study, in the three eggplant cultivars, offered 23.7% for plant height, from 8.6 to 87.88% for stem good opportunities for the realized improvements. diameter, from 2.88 to 95.24% for number of branches Similarly, high estimated broad sense heritability values plant and from.62 to 30.0% for number of leaves for such vegetative growth characters were obtained plant. Such relatively high or high improvements, by some authors such as Bora and Shadeque, [26]; attained on vegetative growth characters through mass El-Sharkawy et al., [3]; Abd-El-Hadi et al., []; Prabhu selection and selfing with selection, indicated clearly that and Natarajan, [27]. these breeding methods were more efficient in Pertaining the fruit characteristics of eggplant; i.e. concentrating the genes or alleles of vegetative growth fruit -length, -diameter, -weight, number of fruits plant (taller plants, thicker stem diameter and more numbers and fruits yield plant, the comparisons among the mean of branches and leaves plant ) of eggplant cultivars. values of the five fruit characters of the original These results might be expected, since these characters populations (O.P's.) with those of the second cycle of seemed to be simply inherited. So, the successful mass selection (C2) and that of the individual plant selection for taller plant, thicker stem, more numbers of selection for two generations; S 2(BO-) to S 2(BO-4), branches and leaves could be related to the type of gene S 2(BL-) to S 2(BL-4) and S 2(WL-) to S 2(WL-4) in the three action involved in the inheritance of these characters, that eggplant cultivars, respectively are presented in Table 3. seemed to be additive, particularly with plant height and The results, concerning the performance of fruit length number of branches [4, 23, 24]. Yet, Singh and Mital, [25] character, illustrated that all derived populations of the noticed that both additive and non-additive and three used cultivars, were characterized by a reduced fruit dominance effect were greater than additive in the length; reflecting an improvement, since the selection for inheritance of plant height and number of branches, this character was directed towards a shorter fruit length respectively. as a desirable form. The means fruit length of the three 346

Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 2 (3): 342-35, 202 Table 3: Means (X), ranges and coefficients of variation (C.V.%) estimates for fruit characteristics and fruits yield of the six evaluated populations of the eggplant Balady cultivars; Black Oval, Black Long and White Long in 2007 summer season Plant characters Fruit length (cm) Fruit diameter (cm) Fruit weight (g) No. of fruit plant Total fruits yield plant (g) Parameters ------------------------------------ -------------------------------- ------------------------------------ -------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Populations X Range C.V.% X Range C.V.% X Range C.V.% X Range C.V.% X Range C.V.% Black Oval genotypes O.P. 2.90a 9.7-6.5 5.57 9.47a 7.2-2.8 6.05 9.43b 24-99 5.2 0.23e 8-5 6.57 970.5c 480-2940 23.82 C2.3c 9.8-2.8 8.66 7.62c 6.6-8.9 9.06 88.57b 65-209 7.90 0.87d 9-3 9.57 2047.6c 020-2665.82 S2(BO-).72bc 0.-3.2 8.45 7.92bc 7.0-8.9 8.33 99.79b 69-226 6.67 3.70b 2-6 9.42 2733.3a 2450-340 0.39 S2(BO-2).47c 9.8-2.9 8.54 7.22d 5.9-8.3 9.00 28.06a 92-239 6.67 3.23c -5 9.22 2876.2a 2300-3240 7.82 S2(BO-3) 2.22ab 0.5-4.6 7.45 7.9bc 6.6-8.7 8.22 77.05c 64-200 7.42 3.83ab 2-6 8.89 249.5b 985-290 8.97 S2(BO-4) 2.28ab 0.4-3.6 7.25 8.b 7.2-8.9 6.78 67.34c 65-22 9.6 4.20a 2-6 8.73 2357.0b 60-2650 6.98 Black Long genotypes O.P. 5.53a 0.8-9.7 2.27 3.40a 2.9-4.0 9.48 43.28a 36.3-48.8 8.50 25.23d 2-3 0.5 088.0c 900-30 0. C2 3.36b 0.9-4.9 7.26 3.23b 2.9-3.5 6.9 4.64ab 38.2-48.7 6.46 33.60a 28-37 6.52 308.7a 090-635 6.64 S2(BL-) 2.77bc 0.7-4.3 6.89 3.8b 2.7-3.5 7.23 38.66c 35.0-4.6 5.36 32.00b 29-37 6.34 222.8b 04-370 6.77 S2(BL-2) 2.73bc 0.7-4.3 6.36 2.98c 2.7-3.3 6.07 40.83abc 37.5-49. 6.27 30.83c 28-35 6.39 257.b 05-40 6.8 S2(BL-3) 2.9c 0.7-4.3 6.32 2.96c 2.7-3.3 6.08 38.45c 34.0-42.5 6.4 3.87b 29-35 6.28 230.2b 00-440 8.0 S2(BL-4) 2.20c 0.6-3.6 6.72 3.00c 2.7-3.4 5.33 40.2bc 37.8-44.3 4.79 32.7b 29-38 6.22 288.8b 75-470 7.08 White Long genotypes O.P. 3.69a 0.9-7.3 0.8 3.76a 2.3-4.6 4.24 4.52a 30.8-56. 5.27 27.90c 2-36 2.58 43.2c 95-325 0.53 C2 2.9b.0-3.8 6.73 3.56b 3.0-4.5 2.64 40.30b 37.3-44.5 4.7 3.00b 27-37 7.90 246.7b 40-475 6.7 S2(WL-).4bc 9.8-2.0 6.0 3.28cd 3.0-3.6 6.0 39.0c 36.6-42.0 3.95 34.03a 30-37 6.46 325.8a 20-465 5.33 S2(WL-2).7bc 0.6-2.0 5.89 3.30c 3.0-3.6 6.67 38.80c 37.0-4.8 3.07 33.27a 30-37 6.73 289.2a 0-400 5.48 S2(WL-3).5bc 0.7-2.4 4.78 3.9de 2.9-3.6 6.27 40.8ab 39.5-42.8 3.23 3.60b 29-37 6.93 290.3a 75-475 5.93 S2(WL-4) 0.67c 9.5-.5 5.90 3.0e 2.7-3.5 7.42 38.68c 37.0-43.4 3.70 3.37b 28-35 5.96 22.5b 05-390 6.5 O.P. = Original population. C2= Second cycle of mass selection. S2(BO-) S2(BO-4) = Progenies of the second selfed generation of four individual selections of Balady Black Oval cultivar. S2(BL-) S2(BL-4) = Progenies of the second selfed generation of four individual selections of Balady Black Long cultivar. S2(WL-) S2(WL-4) = Progenies of the second selfed generation of four individual selections of Balady White Long cultivar. Values having similar alphabetical letter (s) do not significantly differ, using Duncan's multiple range test (L.S.D) at 0.05 probability level. Table 4: Estimates of heritability percentages (in broad sense) for the studied characters of the eggplant Balady cultivars; Black Oval, Black Long and White Long Eggplant cultivars Balady Black Oval Balady Black Long Balady White Long Parameter ---------------------------------- Characters 2 2 2 H b.s. % H b.s. % H b.s. % Plant height (cm) 94.97 35.20 73.43 Stem diameter (cm) 86.67 69.23 94.74 Branches number plant 88.75 8.08 86.49 Leaves number plant 88.62 94.96 53.24 Fruit length (cm) 82.35 40.97 88.50 Fruit diameter (cm) 73.5 90.9 77.78 Fruit weight (g) 97.9 52.63 83.56 Fruits number plant 86.67 50.65 60.98 Fruits yield plant 95.36 46.9 82.77 H % = Heritability percentages in the broad sense 2 b.s. cultivars were reduced after the second cycle of mass Singh and Singh, [24] and Melad et al., [4], who stated selection by 2.33, 3.97 and 0.96% in Black Oval, Black that the additive gene effects were more important in the Long and White Long, in that order relative to their inheritance of such character. The detected heritability original populations. It was also noticed that all selfed values, in the present investigation, confirmed also such progenies, within the three cultivars, revealed reduction an achieved important, since the estimated heritability in fruit length, relative to their original populations. percentages were found to be 82.35% in Balady Black These results reflected the efficiency of the two practiced Oval, 40.97% in Balady Black Long and 88.50% in Balady selection methods to improve this character. Such an White Long cultivars (Table 4). efficiency in improving through selection might be The results, concerning the general performance of referred to the high variation present in the original fruit diameter character, illustrated that all selected population for this character in addition to the additive populations, derived from the three eggplant cultivars, gene effects involved in its inheritance; as illustrated by through the two practiced breeding methods, gave a 347

Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 2 (3): 342-35, 202 narrower diameter, reflecting a realized improvement. inheritance of number of fruits plant character. These results indicated generally that the improvement, The estimated values of heritability, in broad sense, which attained in this character through mass selection and appeared to be either intermediate or relatively high in the individual plant selection, appeared to be due to three cultivars, seemed to be effective in realizing such an concentrating the genes or alleles of narrow fruits efficiency of selection to improve this character, as diameter in the selected populations. This result might be reported by Baha-Eldin, et al., [22]; Ragheb, [7]; Abd-Elexpected, since fruit diameter seemed to be controlled by Hadi et al., []. additive gene effects as illustrated by Singh and Singh, Fruits yield plant character reflected various [24] and was reflected on the estimated high heritability degrees of improvements in the three eggplant cultivars, levels in the three cultivars; Black Oval, Black Long and which reached 3.9%, 20.28% and 9.05% in Black Oval, White Long; which were estimated by high values; Black Long and White Long, respectively, after the 73.5%, 90.9% and 77.78%, in that order (Table 4). second mass selection cycle. This character was also Fruit weight character reflected some slight highly improved in all second selfed progenies of three improvement that reached.49%, 3.79% and 2.94% for cultivars. The great amount of variability, that was Black Oval, Black Long and White Long cultivars, presented in the original populations for fruits yield respectively after the second cycle of mass selection. plant, offered good opportunities for the realized It was also noticed that most of second selfed progenies, improvements through two practiced selection methods. within each cultivar, showed significant decreases on fruit Such an efficiency in improving fruits yield plant weight than those of their original populations. This result through selection might be also related to its relatively might be related to the additive gene effect involved in the high or high heritability percentages involved; that were inheritance of this character as reported by Singh and estimated in broad sense by 95.36%, 46.9% and 82.77% Singh, [24] and Melad et al., [4], who found that additive in Black Oval, Black Long and White Long cultivars, each gene effects played a greater role than non-additive gene in order (Table 4), which agreed also with the results of effects in the inheritance of fruit weight character. Such a Bora and Shadeque, [26]; Ragheb, [7]; El-Sharkawy et al., recognized efficiency of selection on improving the fruit [3]; Abd-El-Hadi et al., [], who detected high estimates weight could be also related to the estimated values of for heritability percentages of this character. heritability in broad sense that gave high values of Heritability is an important parameter in selection 97.9%, 52.63% and 83.56% in Balady Black Oval, Balady program. The estimated values of the broad sense Black Long and Balady White Long cultivars, 2 heritability (H b.s. %) are listed in Table 4. The estimates of correspondingly (Table 4). heritability were high or relatively very high for the most Increments of 6.26%, 33.7% and.%, over the characters of three eggplant cultivars. For instance, very original population means, on number of fruits plant of high to high heritability estimates in broad sense were the three eggplant cultivars; Black Oval, Black Long and detected in fruit weight (97.9%), fruits yield plant White Long, in that order, were attained after the second (95.36%), plant height (94.97%), branches number plant cycle of mass selection. In the case of selfing with (88.75%), leaves number plant (88.62%) and fruits selection method, the increments in number of fruits number plant (86.67%) of Balady Black Oval; leaves plant were noticed to be within the ranges of 29.33 to number plant (94.96%), fruit diameter (90.9%) and 38.8% in Black Oval, 22.20 to 27.5% in Black Long and branches number plant (8.08%) of Balady Black Long from 2.44 to 2.97% in White Long, relative to their and stem diameter (94.74%), fruit length (88.50%), respective original populations. Such obtained high branches number plant (86.49%), fruit weight (83.56%) improvements of such character, through mass- and and fruits yield plant (82.77%) of Balady White Long selfing with selection, could be due to concentrating cultivar. The high heritability indicates that the characters genes or alleles responsible for high number of fruits were less managed by environmental factors. These plant in the progenies of the selected eggplant findings supported the earlier results of Bora and populations. Also, such recognized improvements on this Shadeque [26]; Ragheb, [7]; Kushwah and character might be related to the additive effects involved Bandhyopadhya, [2]; Singh and Kumar [0], who in its inheritance as pointed out by Singh and Singh, [24], recorded high heritability in broad sense for most of the who mentioned that additive gene effects were more characters in eggplant and suggested that selection in pronounced than non-additive gene effects in the these studied characters would be effective. 348

Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 2 (3): 342-35, 202 Table 5: Phenotypic correlation coefficients (significant and highly significant positive and negative detection relationships) among the different pairs of the studied characters of the three used Eggplant Balady cultivars; Black oval, White Long and Black Long Balady Black Oval Balady White Long Balady Black Long -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eggplant cultivars Leaves Fruits Fruits yield Branches Fruit Fruit Fruits Fruits yield Plant parameters number plant number plant plant (g) number plant diameter (cm) weight (g) number plant plant (g) Plant height (cm) 0.309** 0.83** -0.23** Stem diameter (cm) 0.22** 0.252** -0.69* 0.257** 0.5* Branches number plant -0.55* 0.53* Leaves number plant -0.29** Fruit length (cm) 0.29** 0.287** Fruit diameter (cm) -0.30** 0.227** Fruit weight (g) 0.303** -0.43** 0.203** Fruits number plant 0.725** 0.773** * = Significant at 0.05 of probability level ** = Highly significant at 0.0 of probability level Concerning the variability magnitudes that were Bandhyopadhya, [2] detected a negative significant maintained within the selected populations, after the correlation between fruit weight and number of fruits second mass selection cycle or individual plant selection plant and also Khurana et al., [28] found a positive for two generations of selfing with selection, the association between the number of branches plant and foregoing results indicated that these magnitudes number of leaves plant. Pertaining to the Balady White were generally reduced in all selected populations. Long cultivar, the presented results in Table (5) illustrated These results reflected the efficiency of the two practiced the detected desirable (positive) relationship was found selection methods to improve the fruit characters. between fruits number plant and fruits yield plant. However, the degree of such a reduction in variability This result agreed completely with the findings of differed considerably from one character to another Vadivel and Bapu [29, 30]; Melad et al., [4]. On the according to the type of the gene action involved in the contrary, negative and undesirable correlation between inheritance of a particular character and also from one number of leaves plant and fruits yield plant was generation to another and to the type of the practiced detected, suggesting that an attention should be given in breeding method. breeding programs to both characters having an The obtained results concerning the phenotypic undesirable correlation. correlation coefficients among all possible pairs of the For the Balady Black Long cultivar, the results of studied characters of the three eggplant Balady cultivars; correlation coefficients among all possible pairs of the Black Oval, Black Long and White Long indicated that studied characters indicated that desirable and positive only two out of all possible 36 relationships for each correlations were detected between the pairs of the eggplant Black Oval and White Long and 6 relationships characters; ) plant height with each of number of for Balady Black Long cultivar were estimated with either branches plant and fruit diameter. 2) stem diameter with significant or highly significant values (Table 5), whereas, each of number of branches plant, fruit diameter, fruits the other correlation coefficients were not high enough to number plant and fruit yield plant. 3) number of be significant. branches plant - and fruits number plant characters, Regarding to the Balady Black Oval cultivar, the suggesting clearly that selection for any character would results indicated that the two correlation coefficient result subsequently in increasing another one. 4) fruit values between fruits number plant and fruit weight length with each of fruits number plant and fruits yield appeared to be positive; whereas, the correlation between plant. 5) fruit diameter and fruits number plant. 6) number of branches plant and number of leaves plant fruits yield plant with each of fruit weight and fruits was found to be negative. Apparently, such two number plant (Table 5). Such desirable relationships, relationships were thought to be undesirable and obtained in the present work, seemed to be in harmony unreasonable; for the objectives of selection in the with those reported by Khurana et al., [28] between fruit present study. Accordingly the results clearly indicated diameter and fruit weight; El-Sharkawy et al., [3] between that when selection for any of these characters, the other fruit weight and total fruits yield and Prabhu and correlated one should be taken into consideration to Natarajan, [27] between fruits yield with each of fruit avoid any indirect harmful effect. However, Kushwah and weight, fruit length and fruits number plant. On the 349

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